Звездный десант
Chapter 13
ForthisIwasthankful;itgaveusouronlychanceofspottingaBugcomingupfrombelowandgettinghimfirst.Wewerespreadsowidelythatfour-mileintervalsbetweenmenandaboutsixminutesbetweenwavesofafastsweepwasastightapatrolaswecouldmanage.Thisisn’ttightenough;anyonespotwouldremainfreeofobservationforatleastthreeorfourminutesbetweenpatrolwaves—andalotofBugscancomeoutofaverysmallholeinthreetofourminutes.
Radarcanseefartherthaneye,ofcourse,butitcannotseeasaccurately.
Inadditionwedidnotdareuseanythingbutshort-rangeselectiveweapons--ourownmateswerespreadaroundusinalldirections.IfaBugpoppedupandyouletflywithsomethinglethal,itwascertainthatnottoofarbeyondthatBugwasacaptrooper;thissharplylimitstherangeandforceofthefrightfulnessyoudareuse.Onthisoperationonlyofficersandplatoonsergeantswerearmedwithrocketsand,evenso,wedidnotexpecttousethem.Ifarocketfailstofinditstarget,ithasanastyhabitofcontinuingtosearchuntilitfindsone...anditcannottellfriendfromfoe;abrainthatcanbestuffedintoasmallrocketisfairlystupid.
Iwouldhappilyhaveswappedthatareapatrol,withthousandsofM.I.aroundus,forasimpleone-platoonstrikeinwhichyouknowwhereyourownpeopleareandanythingelseisanenemytarget.
